Modern Quarrying Q4 2019

Young talent vital for business transformation and sustainability

Weir Minerals’ development initiatives include a bursary scheme, a graduate programme, internships and apprenticeships.

The youth talent pipeline is the life-blood of sustainability for South African busi- nesses and is key to transforming the country’s economic landscape. Weir Minerals Africa is achieving significant success with its skills development programmes. This is highlighted by Weir Minerals Africa’s learning and development man- ager, Christia Uys, as she describes the success being achieved by the compa- ny’s skills development programmes. “We recruit and train young people to drive the energy and transformation of the business, by focusing on their skills and commitment,” says Uys. “Rather than just head-hunting, we work to transform the business from within, while building a sustainable business.” Uys emphasises that their trainees are not only embarking on a training pro- gramme, but are embraced as a functioning part of the organisation. This growth of talent from within can, when conducted well, ensure the trainees feel part of the business and its culture and empowered to contribute. “In our programmes, they are part of the business from day one and have a job to do with key performance areas,” she says. “From the start, they have responsibilities and are active partners in meeting our business targets. Throughout the programme, there are people to develop, train and mentor them.” The company’s development initiatives include a bursary scheme, a graduate programme, internships and apprenticeships. Uys emphasises that to achieve impact in skills development, there must be ‘buy-in’ among line managers. If the selection of learners is seen as just a human resources function, they will not get the ongoing support they need in their work. “This is why Weir Minerals Africa is careful to involve all stakeholders within the business when we make selections,” she says. “This way, the whole organi- sation commits to the development of our young entrants.” The bursary programme focuses on the four disciplines most in demand by the business – mechanical, metallurgical, chemical and industrial engineering. There are also opportunities in finance, HR and marketing. “We want to prioritise sustainability of our business, so we focus on disci- plines and skills which we can absorb directly into the business,” she says. “Once the students complete their degrees, they are considered for the two-year graduate programme.” The careful selection and nurturing of bursars – which includes employing them during semester breaks – results in a significant proportion of them being employed by the company in permanent roles after the programme. There are usually about 15 to 20 graduates in the programme in any given year. l

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QUARTER 4 - 2019 MODERN QUARRYING